I don't care if he trains directly under Eddie Bravo. A white belt is not even in the same league as Belfort and Gonzaga. The idea that he would be is ridiculous. He did good on the ground against Rua in defending the leg locks, but that was after Rua had taken some massive shots and was gassing. If Randy needs to work on any part of his game it is keeping his hands up higher. He doesn't have the chin to be dropping his hands like that.

I'll agree with Lampa that a high level striker with a good take down defense will be hard on Gracie as he is right now. He also suffers from being a Gracie. The high level guys will be looking to take him out to show that the UFC that BJJ dominated in isn't the same as it once was. He is going to have to become a lot less stiff in his striking.

I'll agree with Lampa that a high level striker with a good take down defense will be hard on Gracie as he is right now. He also suffers from being a Gracie. The high level guys will be looking to take him out to show that the UFC that BJJ dominated in isn't the same as it once was. He is going to have to stop being a Gracie.

Fixed

With all due respect, I believe they are still training 95% BJJ/GJJ for a reason. That is to prove/promote/convince to the world that (B/G)JJ is still the numero uno dominant style.

Unless there are some new Gracie fighters who are currently doing high level striking comps. In which case, I'll be happy to be wrong.

My point, the Gracies are asking to be schooled... they kinda deserve it for staying behind.:tongue:

I very rarely say anything like this, but I'd make a bet right now that the first serious striker with only a small reach disadvantage and modestly functional takedown defense that Roger Gracie faces knocks him out.

I guess we will see because it looks like it will be Mousasi next.

So Prangly and Randleman dont have decent takedown defence?
(Randleman being a former 2 x Division 1 Champion and Prangley also having a very high wrestling pedigree)

He took both down with proximate ease. (he also comfortably won the stand up exchanges in both bouts)

Sure he's a Gracie (and the No.1 Submission Grappler on the planet) but he's also an extremely athletic 6'4 Lightheavyweight with what appears to be an ever improving skillset.

I'm curious about the 95% GJJ thing too - Clearly the strategy for any grappler with that kind of pedigree is "get to the ground".
Anymore though, I think that even the best grapplers realize that they need to spend a good bit of time on striking to be successful in the big organizations - er, organization - even if it's just to set up a clinch/takedown.

So Prangly and Randleman dont have decent takedown defence?
(Randleman being a former 2 x Division 1 Champion and Prangley also having a very high wrestling pedigree)

He took both down with proximate ease. (he also comfortably won the stand up exchanges in both bouts)

Sure he's a Gracie (and the No.1 Submission Grappler on the planet) but he's also an extremely athletic 6'4 Lightheavyweight with what appears to be an ever improving skillset.

I gave my reasoning with the last person who asked. To elaborate a little on Randleman, his reach disadvantage forced him to try and pressure in a way that left him decidedly vulnerable, in spite of his credentials. Someone who doesn't have to fight that tight on the inside and is better at moving in and out will not have to handicap their own takedown defense in the same way.

Either way, if Mousasi's next we'll find out. Provided nothing goes horribly wrong with his camp he meets the description I'm giving. I've been wrong, before. But I see this going badly for Roger unless he has dramatically advanced in his ability to mesh the aspects of his game.

Re: Jon Jones the White Belt.
I know that I'm the one who brought it up, but Jones is not a "white belt" in the sense that say, Brock Lesnar or James Toney is a white belt. Jones has done no gi comps before, he subbed Doug Fournet, a VERY tough Sambo guy who just won gold in the European championships, twice in no gi competitions. It's a bit like when Diego Sanchez got his blue belt from Saulo and Xande...maybe in Purewater Gi Rickson Gracie Jiu Jitsu that's his official rank, but to compare him with the ordinary blue at the ordinary BJJ school is ludicrous.